IN THIS EDITION

• Reflect, Recharge, and Reinvent: The Summer Strategy for Your Business (PART 2)
• ICYMI: SPACES season 6 "GOING GREEN" launched and sign up for TEACAM24!
• Can You Keep it Up?: Learn How to easily create a scalable content creation schedule that has longevity

INSIDE GĀBL

ICYMI: Are you ready to transform your small firm into a thriving, resilient business in 2025?

The EntreArchitect Community Annual Meeting 2024 (TEACAM24) is designed exclusively for small firm architect business owners like you. This year, they’ve curated a strategic planning program that delivers unparalleled ROI, ensuring that your investment in attending will pay off exponentially. ​Here’s why TEACAM24 stands out from every other architecture conference this year:

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An Integrated Business Strategy Program for Small Firm Architects

The agenda for TEACAM24 has been meticulously crafted to provide a complete, integrated business strategy tailored specifically for small firm architects. Each session builds on the previous one, ensuring that by the end of the conference, you will have a cohesive and actionable plan for your firm’s success. You won’t just leave with a collection of notes and ideas; you’ll depart with a comprehensive strategy and the resources needed to thrive in 2025.

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Day 1 Highlights:

• Building a Strong Team Culture: Shannon Hughes of Enlightened Studios will kick off the conference by sharing strategies for cultivating a cohesive team, whether in-house, remote or a mix of independent contractors.
• Choosing the Right Partner: Todd Reding of CVG will offer insights on selecting the perfect partner to elevate your firm’s success.
• Durable and Resilient Designs: Joe Lstiburek of Building Science Corporation will deliver a keynote on designing structures that withstand the test of time, ensuring happy clients and a healthy planet.
• "Profit First" Financial Management: Masheka Turner of BrightSkies Services will guide you through creating a robust financial strategy tailored specifically for small firms.
• Developing Your Firm’s Brand Voice: Kim Healy of Brainstorming the Castle will help you craft your firm's brand guide, a critical business document for sharing a compelling and consistent brand narrative.
• Comprehensive Sales Strategy Workshop: Shannyn Lee, Managing Director at Win Without Pitching, will lead an interactive, step-by-step workshop on developing a winning sales strategy for your small firm. Learn to attract and convert the clients you want most.

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Day 2 Highlights:

• Leveraging AI for Profit and Productivity: Bryon McCartney and Emily Fischer of Archmark will teach you how to develop powerful GPTs that are custom to your firm and always ready to assist you with planning, profit, and productivity.
• Business Growth through Storytelling: Dimitrius Lynch and Randy Wilburn of Gābl Media will demonstrate how the art of podcasting and compelling storytelling can significantly improve your marketing, enhance your business growth, and cultivate a dedicated community of fans, followers, and ideal clients.
• Architecture is Human: Renowned architect and author Duo Dickinson will inspire and connect the event’s themes, reminding us of the profound human impact of our profession.
• Your Health Impacts Your Bottom Line: In our closing keynote, Morgan Chawaga of The Healthy Architect will emphasize the crucial role of mindset, mental health, and well-being in empowering you to thrive both in business and in life, ultimately enabling you to make a profound impact on the world.

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SPACES Season 6 Launched!

On July 31st, the highly anticipated Season 6 of the award-winning SPACES podcast launched! Environment, politics, culture, and economy…Outside forces are constantly reshaping our built environment. In turn, these spaces shape society. SPACES Podcast aims to elevate the appreciation for and understanding of how our spaces are evolving.

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Check out EPISODE 1 of Going Green (a SPACES podcast story) exploring the early understanding of climate change and the impact of human activity on the planet. The importance of sustainability and finding a balance between the environment, economy, and society is emphasized.

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​EPISODE 2 covers the themes of westward expansion in the United States, the environmental impact of farming practices, the Dust Bowl, the role of indigenous communities in environmental conservation, the contributions of George Washington Carver and Buckminster Fuller, and the early scientific understanding of climate change. Subscribe now to SPACES Podcast.

INDUSTRY NEWS & IDEAS WORTH SHARING...

Part 2: Bringing Your Summer Strategy to Life - A Design Firm's Approach

by Randy Wilburn

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Following our exploration of summer planning for design firms in Part 1, let's dive into how to implement your cornerstone content and podcast strategy and measure its success in the creative world.
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Launching Your Design-Focused Podcast

1. Start Recording and Sharing

- Choose topics that resonate with your audience, such as emerging trends, creative processes, interesting projects, or industry challenges

- Plan a content calendar that aligns with the work you are doing and the annual seasons of your firm

- Invest in quality audio equipment to ensure your podcast sounds as polished as your visual work

- Share episodes on platforms popular with creatives and design professionals, like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

2. Spread the Word Through Your Design Network

- Promote your podcast on your design firm's website and social media channels

- Create visually appealing graphics for each episode to catch the eyes of potential clients and employees alike

- Take 45 to 60-second segments of your podcast and turn them into engaging audio and video grams.

- Write blog posts that expand on the concepts discussed in your episodes

- Collaborate with respected designers and design industry influencers as guests to expand your reach

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Engaging Your Creative Audience

1. Gather Feedback from Fellow Designers

- Use surveys and social media to collect input from your listeners

- Adjust your content based on what resonates with your community

- Regularly review and refine your approach to stay relevant in the fast-paced design world

2. Foster a Community of Creatives

- Host Q&A sessions on design challenges or creative blocks

- Consider live episodes where listeners can share their design dilemmas

- Build a community where designers can share ideas and get inspired

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Measuring Impact with Your Podcast

1. Track Relevant Metrics

- Monitor episode downloads and listens, noting which design topics perform best

- Analyze how your podcast drives traffic to your design firm's website

- Track how many podcast listeners inquire about your design services or download resources

2. Refine Your Cornerstone Content Strategy

- Use insights to tailor your content to what designers find most valuable

- Experiment with different formats, like interviews with design leaders or behind-the-scenes looks at projects

- Stay engaged with your audience by responding to comments and featuring listener work or questions

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Wrapping Up for Design Firms

For design firms, summer isn't just about beach trips and iced lattes. It's an opportunity to innovate your marketing approach and position your firm as a thought leader. By launching a design-focused podcast, you can showcase your expertise, share your creative process, and connect with potential clients, collaborators, and new employees.

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The key is to start creating content that reflects your firm's unique perspective and design philosophy. Pay attention to how your audience of fellow designers, potential clients, and design enthusiasts responds. Consistently provide valuable insights, and you'll build a loyal following that turns to your podcast for inspiration and industry knowledge.

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Use the last of the summer months to explore this new creative outlet, reinvent your firm's branding and marketing strategy, and lay the groundwork for increased visibility and client engagement. Your design firm's future - and your creative reputation - will benefit from this innovative approach.
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Ready to catch up on Part 1 and start your summer planning? Check it out here.

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UPCOMING EVENTS OUR NETWORK IS TALKING ABOUT

CREATIVE EDGE

Get Past the Blank Page Syndrome: Start an Episode Theme, Topics and Planning List

Maybe you don't love making lists and checking items off. Maybe you don't thrive on strategic brainstorming sessions. Regardless if planning isn't running through your veins, it is a necessary part of any successful project especially if that project is hopefully a scalable long-term idea.

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The beauty of planning BEFORE you start the actual publishing process is that you are able to get way ahead and hopefully begin to build a back catalogue of episodes, rather than trying to keep up each week. Trust me, every podcaster in the course of their career will have at least one season where they are struggling to keep their heads above water and get weekly content produced.

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Even if you understand why planning ahead is so important, you may be wondering why we suggest that you plan your episodes even before you come up with a show name. The fact of the matter is that

continuously providing VALUABLE content on a regular weekly basis year after year can cause you to exhaust even the most hearty podcast theme.

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💡STORYTELLING IDEAS THAT WORK💡

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Action Steps: Write down 10-15 potential episodes that you think your audience would love to listen to. You can look for similar podcasts on iTunes and look at their popularity, such as the number of reviews and the number of followers on social media. If you are able to come up with at least 10-15 episodes, you will at least be sure that the theme you chose has enough legs to last you for an entire podcast season. If you are not planning on having seasons, and intend to publish a regular podcast "year-round", it would be wise to start with an even longer list before you officially lock down your whole series theme or topic.
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All-Star Tip: Be sure to weigh the different pros and cons of each category. For example - popular topics create more competition but this also means that there is a strong built-in audience for your show. Please reach out to our very own Business Development Pro, Randy Wilburn, to see how we can help.